Linda Hurd, 53, Sioux Falls, formerly of Luverne, died Sunday, June 10 at her home. Visitation will be Tuesday, June 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne. Services will be Wednesday, June 12 at 1 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Luverne. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery.

Rose Radermacher, 90, Hardwick, died Wednesday, June 5 at the Parkview Manor Nursing Home, Ellsworth. Visitation will be Friday, June 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. with parish prayers at 7:30 p.m. at the Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne. Funeral services will be Saturday, June 8 at 9 a.m. at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Luverne, with Fr. Andrew Beerman officiating. Burial will be at the parish cemetery.

Elizabeth Ruth Eberlein, 76, Redwood Falls, formerly of Luverne, died Wednesday, May 29, 2002.
Services were Saturday, June 1, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Redwood Falls. Burial was in St. Catherine Catholic Cemetery in Luverne.
Elizabeth Utter was born to Ralph and Clare (Estle) Utter on July 31, 1925, on the family farm in Columbus Junction, Louisa County, Iowa. She attended business school in Chillicothe, Mo. She began working in Minneapolis.
She married Vernon Eberlein on July 26, 1946. They moved to Luverne after their marriage. She worked for Selective Service for many years. Later, she worked for Tri-State Insurance Company until she retired. Mr. Eberlein died in 1967. She moved to Redwood Falls in 1995.
Mrs. Eberlein was an active member of St. Catherine Catholic Church since moving to Redwood Falls. She enjoyed daily mass, playing bridge and was an avid golfer.
Survivors include seven children, Steven (Dorothy) Eberlein, Anoka, Susan (Jim) Brown, Billings, Mont., John Eberlein, Plymouth, Ann (David) Thiry, Livingston Mont., Nancy (Denny) Stoterau, Redwood Falls, and Peter (Mary) Eberlein, Red Wing; 23 grandchildren; Ann Marie (Dan) Busack, Mike (Jean) Eberlein, Matthew (Beth) Brown, Katie (Steve) Johnson, Peter, Clare and Joseph (Mary) Brown, Claire Eberlein, Jeremy, Brian, Luke, Beth and Lydia Thiry, Andrew (Katie), Ben, Sarah and Nick Stoterau, and Lee (Joe) Stoffel, Lindsay, Katelyn, Adam and Joe Eberlein; six great-grandchildren, Kelsey Talbot, Nick Johnson, Katelyn and Jacob Brown, Hailey Jorgenson and Ella Marie Buscack; one brother, Richard (Phyllis) Utter; two sisters, Jean (Morrie) Smith and Mary (Gene) Hafner; many nieces and nephews, and friends.
Mrs. Eberlein was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon.
Redwood Valley Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne girls track team placed third in a 26-team field at the Section 3A Track and Field Championships in Pipestone Thursday.

The Cardinals compiled 58 points during the event, finishing behind champion Tracy-Milroy-Balaton (85.5 points) and runner-up Pipestone-Jasper (71.5). Jackson County Central (52) and BOLD (46.5) round out the top-five teams at the meet.

Berths in the state meet were on the line for the top relay teams, the top-two finishers in individual events and any relay or individual who met a state-qualifying standard that was implemented for the section meet.

Four Luverne girls extended their seasons by placing second in individual events.

Competing at the Minnesota State Class A Track and Field Championships at the National Sports Center in Blaine tomorrow and Saturday will be senior Amanda Aning, sophomores Danielle Cook and Jenni Christensen and eighth-grader Victoria Arends.

Aning placed second and surpassed her old school record of 10-6 in the pole vault by clearing a height of 10-9 in Pipestone.

Cook, who set a school record in the 300-meter hurdles during the sub-section meet in Luverne seven days earlier, tied the mark by placing second in the event with a 47.8 time.

Christensen placed second in the 200-meter dash with a 26.85 effort, and Arends was second in the 800-meter run in 2:27.81.

Cook and Christensen will be running in the preliminaries that start at 4 p.m. tomorrow in Blaine.

The girls' 300-meter preliminaries will be the 13th event on the track, and the finals are set for 1:55 p.m.

The 200-meter dash preliminaries will be the 17th event on the track tomorrow. The finals are set for 2:50 p.m. Saturday.

The girls' pole vault competition begins at noon Saturday.

The girls' 1,600-meter run is set for 12:18 p.m.
Cook made a bid to advance to state in two events Thursday, but she ended up finishing third in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.6.

Luverne's 800-meter relay team of Aning, Cook Christensen and Callen Bosshart finished third with a time of 1:49.79.

Adria Sherwood placed fourth as an individual with a toss of 100-4 in the discus.
Sadie Dietrich earned a medal in the 400-meter dash by placing fifth in 1:02.95, and the 1,600-meter relay team received medals for placing sixth in 4:20.35. Christensen, Amanda Dooyema, Dietrich and Patricia Willers formed the team.

Making a contribution to the team tally are Willers, Maggie Kuhlman, Dietrich and Arends, who placed seventh in the 3,200-meter relay with time of 10:51.41.

Luverne's 400-meter relay team of Bosshart, Nicole Willers, Christina Smidstra and Cassie Pap placed ninth in the section field.

Amanda Dooyema and Amanda Saum placed 10th in the 400-meter dash and 3,200-meter runs with respective 1:04.9 and 13:04.22 times, while Kuhlman was 10th in the pole vault after clearing 4-8.

Kelsey Dooyema came in 11th in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 6:03.8.

Bosshart (100), Lexi Peterson (pole vault), Pap (long jump) and Marissa Stewart (discus) didn’t place in their respective events.

Luverne senior Craig Bosch prepares to deliver the winning throw during the discus competition at the Section 3A Track and Field Championships in Pipestone Thursday. Bosch and the Cardinal boys emerged as the team champion at the event.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne boys' track team saved its best effort of the 2002 campaign for the Section 3A Championships in Pipestone Thursday.

Competing in a 26-team field, the Cardinals proved to be the cream of the crop as they edged out Montevideo for the team title.

Luverne compiled 85 1/5 points to nip the Thunder Hawks, who came in second with 84 counters. Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth (65), Pipestone-Jasper (51) and Redwood Valley (48.5) round out the top five.

In the process of winning a section championship, seven Cardinals earned trips to compete in the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Championships tomorrow and Saturday in Blaine. Another LHS athlete will join the delegation as an alternate for the 800-meter relay team.

The top relay teams, the top-two finishers in individual events and any relay or individual to meet the preset state qualifying standards at the section level advance to state.
In Luverne's case, two individuals and one relay team won section championships and one individual earned the right to compete at the state classic.

Capturing section titles for LHS are seniors Craig Bosch and Andrew Norton and the 800-meter relay team.

Bosch, who just missed qualifying for state by placing third in the shot put with a toss of 48-9, took top honors in the discus with a distance of 146-6.

Norton, who placed fourth with a distance of 41-1 in the triple jump, cleared 6-3 to win the high jump competition.
Seniors Tom Sandager and Travis Johnson, junior Marcus Walgrave and sophomore Tyler Elbers won the 800-meter relay with a time of 1:34.4.

Also qualifying for state is freshman Scott Goebel, who placed second in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:42.17.
Senior Chris Morgan will serve as the alternate for the 800-meter relay to round out Luverne’s official representation at the state meet.

The 800-meter relay team will compete during tomorrow's preliminaries, which begin at 4 p.m. The 800 relay will be the eighth running event of the day, and the finals are slated 11:53 a.m. Saturday.

The boys' high jump competition begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, and the discus begins at noon. The 1,600-meter run takes place at 12:27 p.m. Saturday.

Sandager, Walgrave, Elbers and Justin Van Wyhe missed qualifying for state by one place in Pipestone.

Walgrave, who was fifth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.88, placed third in the 300-meter hurdles in 41.4.
Sandager, who placed eighth with a distance of 19-9 1/4 in the long jump, finished third in the 400-meter dash in 52.51.
Van Wyhe finished third in the triple jump with a personal best distance of 41-5 1/2. Elbers cleared a personal best height of 6-0 to finish third in the high jump.

The top-six finishers in each event earn medals, and Morgan earned one along with the state qualifiers. Morgan, who didn't make the finals in the 110-meter hurdles, placed fifth in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 43.3.

Tim Rust also took a medal by clearing 11-6 in the pole vault to place fifth.

Luverne’s 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays finished ninth and 10th with respective 3:41.15 and 9:21.69 times.

Van Wyhe, Goebel, Nick Otten and Ruston Aaker ran the 1,600. Kyle Bitterman, Jamison Tooley, Aaker and Otten formed the 3,200-meter team.

Johnson and Elbers didn't make the finals in the 200-meter dash, Goebel was unable to place in the 800 and the 400-meter relay team of Sandager, Elbers, Morgan and Johnson was disqualified.

The County Board had a discussion as a follow up from the annual corrections meeting. Motion by Hoime, seconded by Erickson, to send a letter to Don Basche requesting a meeting of the Executive Board of Community Corrections and the Nobles and Rock County Administrators to discuss, develop and review departmental plans with the absence of Corrections staff, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Jarchow, to invite Page Purcell, Legislative Coordinator of the Minnesota State Retirement System to Rock County and present employee informational meetings regarding a Post Employee Health Care Plan, declared carried on a voice vote.

A listing was distributed indicating the members of the Prairie Discovery Incorporated; no action was taken.

The County Board was in receipt of information from the Southwest Regional Development Commission regarding the EDA Planning Committee; no action was taken.

Land Management Director Eric Hartman and Assistant Land Management Director Doug Bos presented the annual Rock County Ag Inspector's report and work plan summary; motion by Boyenga seconded by Hoime, to accept the report and to forward it to the state, declared carried on a voice vote.

Don Klosterbuer, County Attorney, presented No. 16-02, starting Eminent Domain Proceedings for land involved in the bike path. Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Hoime, to approve Resolution No. 16-02, declared carried on a voice vote.

MPCA Representatives Jon Moeger, Project Manager, Jean Olson, Hydrologist, Pete Fuller, Design Engineer, Art Deverick and Mark Sehr, Rock County Engineer presented information regarding the upgrades at the previous landfill currently owned by the State of Minnesota. There are 10 acres in the northern portion of the facility that is currently in compliance and 7 acres on the southern portion that is out of compliance. A new cover will be placed on the landfill as well as gas probes monitoring wells and access roads. The schedule will be as follows: May 3-10 bids will be in the newspapers; prebid conference May 14th; bid opening May 23rd, pre-construction meeting June 10th; construction begins June 17th and will run 106 calendar days to be completed by September 28th. Estimated cost is $1 million dollars.

The County Board briefly discussed the upcoming Board of Equalization meeting; it was determined that a minimal amount of information would be needed from the Assessor's office.

The County Board received an ATP VII update; June 7th would be the bid opening date for the Highway 270 project and a Heartland bus purchase will be moved from Y2005 to Y2004.

The County Board Chair recessed the meeting until 2:00 P.M.

The County Board reconvened at 2:00 P.M. Meeting was called to order by the Pipestone County Board Chair and Rock County Board Chair. Pipestone County Board members present were: Larry Carstenson, Marvin Tinklenberg and Irvin Pribyl; also present was David Werner, president of University of Minnesota Extension and Extension Staff members; Joyce Jacobson, Holli Arp. Extension Committee members that were present were Mary Fritz, Ann Haugen, Mark Dahl, Lisa Heronimus, Gary Overgaard and Vicki Baartman.

Mr. Werner informed the joint boards that the October billing will be smaller than the current projections due to the restructuring taking place in 2002; also stated that the base funding in 2003 is frozen at the 2002 percent of 30.25% for Rock County however, it will reflect an inflationary increase of 2.5%. They anticipate new agreements being entered into by all counties in 2004.

Mr. Werner also stated that George Morris, Associate Dean for Extension will take over as the Dean of Director effective July 1, 2002.

Mr. Werner requested that each county maintain, for 2003 budget purposes, expenses for transportation and travel at current levels. The University will pay mileage between counties for Extension Educators; 4-H Coordinator positions should be coming out of existing transportation travel expense lines.

The Rock County Board requested that a meeting be held in October with Pipestone County and Extension Committees of both counties to review the current status of the extension service providings.

The Rock and Pipestone boards briefly discussed gravel tax issues; Rock County informed Pipestone County that they will be having a public hearing June 10th to discuss gravel tax.

With no further business to come before the joint boards, the meeting was declared adjourned.
Jane Wildung, Chairman of the Board

ATTEST;
Kyle J. Oldre, Clerk to the Board
(6-6)

Proposed gravel tax hearing set for June 10
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED GRAVEL TAX
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Rock County Board of Commissioners shall meet and conduct a public hearing on Monday, June 10, 2002 at 7:00 P.M. at the Community Room, Rock County Human Services Building, 2 Roundwind Circle, Luverne, Minnesota. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the adoption and implementation of a gravel and aggregate material removal tax within Rock County all as is permitted and provided by Minnesota Statutes ¤298.75. Any person desiring to be heard may present testimony either at the hearing or by submitting the same in writing prior to the time of the hearing, to Kyle Oldre, Rock County Administrator, P.O. Box 509, Luverne, Minnesota.

Dated May 21, 2002
/s/ Kyle Oldre
Kyle Oldre
Rock County Administrator
(5-23, 5-30, 6-6)

Dietrich variance hearing set for June 11
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Variance Request
Pursuant to the Rock County Zoning Ordinance, Notice is hereby given by the Rock County Planning Commission that a public hearing will be held at the Rock County Family Service Center Community Room located at 2 Round Wind Road in Luverne, MN at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, 2002. The purpose of the hearing is to rule on the application submitted by Jeff Dietrich for a variance request on the setback for a new residence located within 1/4 mile of an existing feedlot located in the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of section 28, T103N, R45W, Rock County, Minnesota.

Zoning Administrator
Eric Hartman
(5-30, 6-6)

County Commissioners meet May 21
Community Room 9:00 A.M.
Rock County Human Services Bldg May 21, 2002
Commissioner Wildung called the meeting to order with all Commissioners present.

Motion by Jarchow, seconded by Boyenga, to approve the May 21, 2002 County Board agenda, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Erickson, seconded by Hoime, to approve the May 7th County Board minutes, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Erickson, seconded by Jarchow, to approve the following consent agenda items, declared carried on a voice vote.

1. Advertise for 2002 Seal Coat Project

2. Resolution No. 14-02, supporting the effort of the Southwest Regional Development Commission to obtain development financing from Department of Trade & Economic Development

Margaret Cook, Auditor/Treasurer, presented the fund balances; motion by Hoime, seconded by Boyenga, to approve the fund balances, declared carried on a voice vote.

The claims were approved on a motion by Jarchow, seconded by Boyenga, and declared carried on a unanimous vote. A complete listing of claims is available at the Auditor/Treasurer's at no charge.

General $ 23,302.99
LEC 101.76
Road & Bridge 34,359.55
Judicial Ditch .00
Welfare 108,340.27
Landfill 1,253.07
TOTAL $167,357.64

The Auditor/Treasurer presented a request for a property abatement on parcel 20-1938-012 located in Lot 12 Renken Parkway, a 10' x 47' mobile home in the City of Luverne for $50.00/year for Y2000, Y2001. Apparently, the mobile home was moved off the property 01/02/2001. Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Hoime, to approve the abatement totaling $100.00, declared on a voice vote.

Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Jarchow, to approve Resolution 15-02, a DNR grant request on behalf of the Buffalo Ridge Sno MasterÕs Club declared carried on a voice vote.

The Auditor/Treasurer requested authorizing signatures for the Y2001 audit; signatures were provided and the audit would be forwarded to the Star Herald for publication.

There was a brief discussion regarding tax-forfeited properties located in Steen; currently, the Auditor/Treasurer is waiting for additional information from the Department of Revenue.

Tabled from the previous meeting was discussion regarding the purchase of a new AS400. Motion by Hoime, seconded by Jarchow, to direct the AS400 Committee to review purchase and lease options and bring back a recommendation at the next County Board meeting, declared carried on a voice vote.

The County Board reviewed the following goals and objectives with the Auditor/Treasurer:

1. GASB34 Timeline update
2. Quarterly Financial Reports
3. Bid Abstracts of Investments
4. Policies/Written Protocol with other departments

Mark Dahl and Rick Johnson of Countryview Apartments in Luverne discussed Section 8 Housing vouchers. The County Board directed that Rick Goodeman, Rosie Rogers and Mary McGuinn be contacted for additional discussion and information on Section 8 Housing.

Randy Ehlers, Family Services Director, discussed out of state travel for employees to attend a training/conference seminar. Motion by Jarchow, seconded Hoime, authorizing the out of state travel and following the conference directed the conference attendees to give a presentation to the County Board, declared carried on a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Boyenga voting nay. The County Board stated that they would approve co-mingled employee grant dollars and departmental training dollars on a case-by-case basis.

The County Board was informed that June 13th was the Private Industry Council's Annual meeting.

The County Board was informed of a lawsuit from Don Dunham Jr. naming the City of Luverne, Luverne School District and Rock County as co-defendants in a suit claiming a violation of contract regarding a tax abatement for the City Centre Apartments.

By Lori Ehde
The City of Luverne received word last week that employees in supervisory positions are organizing for union representation.

The Bureau of Mediation Services, the state agency that regulates all unions, issued an order Thursday maintaining status quo for the employment status of all city supervisors until an appropriate bargaining unit and representative are determined.

The Bureau notified the city it had received a petition on May 23 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Minneapolis, to represent all supervisory employees of the City of Luverne.

The order was issued "to preserve existing conditions and promote free and fair environment for the resolution of this question of representation."

It essentially orders that nothing changes (wages, hours, negotiations, etc.) until the employees are established in their union.

Most city employees already belong to a union, but supervisors do not.

It’s unclear which supervisors had taken the initiative or why, but City Administrator Matt Hylen said the subject surfaced informally earlier this spring.

Following is a list of city supervisors currently not in a union. These employees are not all necessarily interested in the union, but their position may qualify them for membership.

The list includes Hylen, Public Works Director Darrell Huiskes, Public Works Supervisor Ken Vos, Pool Manager Carol Wessels, Public Utilities Coordinator Red Arndt, Public Utilities Supervisor Alan Lais, Finance Director Barb Berghorst, accountant Candace Reese, liquor store manager Richard DeSchepper, City Clerk Marianne Perkins, Deputy Clerk Rose Feikema, Library Director Glenda Bremer and Building and Zoning Official Dan Delgehausen.

The list also includes two vacant positions, economic development director and community relations specialist.

The Bureau of Mediation Services is continuing the process of forming a bargaining unit with employees and determining which employees are eligible.

By Lori Ehde
Long-time Luverne resident Elizabeth Eberlein died Wednesday, May 29, from injuries she received when a golf ball struck her in the head.

Eberlein, who has lived in Redwood Falls since 1995, was golfing at the Redwood Falls Golf Club Monday, May 20 when the accident occurred.

According to the Redwood Gazette News, Eberlein was playing the ninth hole when a ball from a group playing behind her hit her in the temple as she stood in a gully below the green.

"One of the first individuals to respond to the accident was her grandson and local golf pro, Andy Stoterau," the report in the Gazette stated.

"She was immediately rushed into surgery to remove a major blood clot, as well as to relieve swelling."

She died nine days later.

Her other grandson, Ben Stoterau, is a sports writer for the Gazette. Following Eberlein's death, he wrote a column about his grandmother and about dealing with loss.

He described his grandmother "strong, loving, caring and kind beyond belief," and he detailed events of the day she died.

"My brother, Andy, who is in his first year as Head Pro at the Redwood Falls Golf Club, was there that day. He wasn't scheduled to work; he just happened to be there and thus was the first person on the scene and was able to hold my grandma in his arms," Ben Stoterau wrote.

"She knew who he was and she told him she wasn't in any pain and to tell everybody that she loved them. _Then she closed her eyes."

Eberlein, originally from Iowa, moved to Luverne after marrying Vernon in 1946. She worked for the Selective Service for many years and for Tri-State Insurance Company until she retired.

Services were Saturday in Redwood Falls.